Automatic air-coupling.



C. H. DAVENPORT.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING.

- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 19x4.

1 1 87,508. Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA JILANOCIRAPH 60-, WASHINGTON, n. c

C. H. DAVENPORT.

AUTOMATlC AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION mmmn. a, 1914.

1 1 87,508. Patented June 20, 1916. 2 EEEEE s- EEEEE 2.

@I-IARLES H. DAVENPORT, OF ELK PARK, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FGURTH TO MILLARD G. TEASTER, OF SHELL CREEK, TENNESSEE, FIVE-EIGHTHS TO DAVID TULLE BRINKLEY, 0F ELK PARK, NORTH CAROLINA, AND ONE-EIGHTH. TO JOSEPH BAY, OF BUTLER, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC AIR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1916.

Application filed March 3, 1914. Serial No. 822,157.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. DAVEN- ron'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elk Park, in the county of Avery and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in couplings for the air hose of trains and resides in the provision of a simply constructed and reliable coupling device which will operate to couple automatically in a reliable and efficient manner thus doing away with the necessity of the brakeman or other employees of the railroad getting between the cars to make the coupling and thus preventing accidents, loss of life and saving a great deal of time.

An important object of my invention is to provide a coupling of the character described which is permitted to turn with the turning of the cars of the train when the train is rounding a curve thus preventing accidental derangement of uncoupling often occasioned when the trains round a sharp curve.

Another important object of my invention is to provide cushioning means whereby the jar occasioned when the coupling action is had will be considerably lessened thus pre venting breakage and derangement of parts.

Another important object of my invention is to provide locking means which will operate at a slight ar to lock the coupling in coupled position, said locking action taking place automatically when the cooperating elements of the coupling device engage each other during the coupling action.

A still further important object of my invention is to provide a coupling device of the character described which is so constructed as to prevent escape of air.

My invention further aims to improve couplings ofthe character described so as to render them more reliableand efficient, cheap to manufacture and more commercially desirable. f

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out as claimed.

Figure l is a horizontal sectional View taken through my improved coupling device showing the cotiperating elements in coupled position, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig, 3 is a top plan view of my coupling device showing it as it would appear when in coupled position and attached to the ends of cars, Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line i4t of Fig. 1 showing the locking means in locked position, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective of one of the pair of coupling members, Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the housing for the cushioning means showing the plunger positioned within the housing, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing the pivoted connection of the coupling members with the plungers.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numerals 1 and 2 designate as entireties cooperating coupling members that are similar as to construction and arranged upon the ends of cars to be coupled. Each coupling member is formed in the nature of an approximately semi-spherical shell and provided with an extension 3 centrally on the inner faces thereof. The extension 3 is provided with an apertured tongue t which is'positioned within a recess formed in the end of a plunger 5. A pivot bolt 6 is inserted through the plunger 5 and apertured tongue 4 and has a nut 7 turned upon its lower terminal. The outer ends of the extension 3 are formed convex as clearly shown in Fig. 1 to cooperate with concaved faces of the plunger 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings. The plungers 5 are preferably cylindrical and are slidably mounted within cylindrical housings 8 having closed ends 9 and open at their other ends to receive the plungers 5. The housings 8 are suitably mounted upon the cars designated 9 a fragmentary portion of which being shown inFig. 3 in the drawings.

Right angular lugs 10 are formed adjacent the open ends of the housings 8 and extend within longitudinal recesses 11 formed in the plungers 5. A lug 12 is coupling with each other the springs 14 will absorb the shock to an appreciable extent thus preventing breakage or derangement of parts. The .plungers 5 slide within the cylindrical housings 8 and are guided by the lugs 10' and slots 11 arranged as described. The coupling members 1 and 2 are permitted to move relatively to the plungers 5 and housings through the medium of the connection of the tongues 4 with the passage from one cartothe'other.

plungers 5 by thebolts 6. This-arrangement insures perfect operation and prevents acc1- dental uncouplihg ,or derangement whenthe train rounds a curve.

Each of the coupling members is provided with a vertical air passage 15 that is formed through 'the extension 3 and has connected in any suitable manner at its lower end the air hose 16. The air passages15 extend into the coupling members and communicate with converging passages 17 and 18 formed in each member. ,7 Mounted within the coupling members adjacent the points where the passages 15, 17 and 18 communicate with each other are plug valves 19 having handles 20 arranged upon the upper side of the coupling members adjacent to the extension portion 3. It will be readily seen that the valves 19 may be operated to cut off the passages 17and 18 in the coupling members from the passages 15; The spaced ends of the passages 17 and 18 are arranged adjacent the side portions of the coupling members in alinement or communication with each other as clearly shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings so as to form a continuous As a means for insuring the proper registration of the spaced ends of the passages 17 and 18 so that a continuous air passage is formed from car to car, I provide externally threaded tubular members 21 and 22. The tubular member 21 is turned in the open end ofthe passage 18 in the member 1 for a portion of its length and has mounted upon its extended portion a flexible and prefer-f ably rubber sleeve or collar 23 that is provided with a convex outer surface to cooperate with a concavity or' depression 24 that is formed in the outer end of the passage 17 in the member 2 asclearly shown in Fig; 1 in the drawings. 'The resilient or rubber collar 23, provides a tight joint or connection for the two passages 17 and 18,

in Fig. 1 in the drawings and itwill be readily seen that air is prevented escaping at the coupling. 1

Formed upon one side of the member 2 is an extension portion 26 that is provided with a beveled inner face 27' which is arranged to coiiperate with a beveled face 28 formed on the member 1 as clearly, shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings. The coupling member 1 is provided with a beveled face extension 29 upon the side that co'o'perates with a portion of the member 2, constructed similarly withrespect to the beveled face portion of the member 1. It will .be readily seen that the coupling members 1 and 2 through the medium of the beveled face extension and beveled cooperating faces opposite thereto on the members 1 and 2 respectively are tightly joined or coupled.

A recess 30 is formed centrally in each of the coupling members and opens into a central cut out portion 31 formed centrally in the outer face of the coupling members. Mounted upon each coupling member is an approximately C-shaped coupling hook 32 coupling hook that is pivoted on the memher 2. Each of the hooks 32 is for a greater portion of its length disposed within the recess 30. The outer ends of the C-shaped hooks 32 are enlarged and designated 34 and 35 respectively. These enlarged ends 34 and 35 are arranged in overlapping engagement with each other when the coupling members are in coupledposition as clearlyshown in Fig.1 in the drawings. The portions 34 and 35 are extended at right angles to the body portion of the hooks and into the cut out portions 31. The cut out portions 31 p when the coupling "members 1 and 2 are n coupled position provlde a space suificlent to permit the proper operation of the hooks .32 as will be later more fully described.

The inner portions. 36 of thehooks 32 are disposed within the innermost portions'of the recesses '30 in the coupling members and adapted to be engaged bylocking pins 37.

The locking pins 37' are slidably mounted in downwardlyextending openings 38 that are formed in the coupling members and disposed angularly with relation to the vertical axis thereof for a purpose to be later more fully described. nicate with the recesses 30; and thepins 37 serve to hold the coupling books 32 in locked or coupled positionas clearly shown Theopenings 38 commuin Fig. 1 in the drawings. The flexible element 39 is secured at its ends to the upper portion of each of the pins and to the coupling member to prevent loss of the pins. The pins 37 are provided intermediate their ends with notches 40 that are designed to engage the upper edges 41 of the openings 38 so as to hold the pins in spaced relation to the recesses 30 and in an out of the way position so that the ends 36 of the members 32- may be swung freely as will be later more fully described. A flat disk head 42 is formed on the lower end of each pin 37 and is designed to fit within the recessed portion 30 of the members 1 and 2.

While the coupling members are separated and are in a position to be automatically coupled when the cars are moved toward each other, the portion 34 of the member 32 that is carried by the coupling member 2 is disposed in an out of the way position and the pin in thecoupling member 2 is supported in an out of the way position by means of the notch 40 engaging the edge 41 of the opening 38. The portion 36 of the hooks 32 on the member 2 is disposed outwardly with relation to the recess 30 in such a way that it will readily engage the portion 35 of the hook 32 carried on the member 1, when the member 2 is pushed into engagement with the member 1 or vice versa. When the portion 36 of the hooks 32 on the member 2 engages the portion 35 of the hook 32 on the member 1 the portion or end 3 1 on the first mentioned member 32 will be moved into its position shown in Fig. 1, that is, into locking engagement with the portion 35. The shock or jar occasioned when the coupling members engage each other is suiticient to dislodge the pins 37 on the member 2 permitting it to drop into position forwardly of the portion 36 of the hook 32 on the member 2 as shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings. When the locking pins 37 drop into position as shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings, the members 3a and 35 are in overlapping engagement with each other and held in such position by the pins 37 When the coupling members move into engagement with each other the collars or bands 23 are forced into.

the ccncavities 24 in the passages described and the air passage is sealed so that escape of air is prevented, and a continuous air passage from car to car is provided.

A pair of expansion springs 43 are interposed between the hooks 32 and the adjacent walls of the recesses 30, and serve as means for returning the hooks to the dotted line positions, shown in Fig. 1, when the coupling members are uncoupled.

It will be readily seen with reference to the foregoing description and accompanying drawings that 1 have provided a simply constructed and extremely reliable coupling device for air hose in trains that may be readily assembled and disassembled and which is so constructed as to withstand shocks and jars without liability of accidental derangement.

It will be noted that my improved coupling will be permitted movement relative to the connection thereof with the cars thus preventing strain on the coupling resultant in leakage of air when the train makes a curve. It will be noted that the cushioning arrangement prevents accidental derangement of the coupling when the cars are moved into engagement with each other with great force.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as set forth.

What is claimed is 1. An air coupling device comprising coacting coupling members having diverging air passages therein opening into the outer face thereof, the air passages in one coupling member being adapted to register with the air passages in the other coupling memher when the coupling members are in coupled position, a pair of threaded tubular members associated, respectively, with one of the air passages in each of the respective coupling members, the other air passages in the coupling members having seats formed in the walls thereof, resilient and substantially spherical shaped collars mounted on the tubular members, the said tubular 1nembers being adapted when the coupling members are in coupled position to be received by the opposed adjacent passages in the coupling members, and to have the collars thereon engaged in the seats of the last mentioned passages, and means for holding the coupling members against accidental disconnection when in coupled position and located within the coupling members.

2. An air coupling device comprising coacting coupling members having converging air passages therein and centrally disposed communicating recesses and vertical openings communicating with the recesses, a pair of C-shaped hooks pivoted respectively within the central recesses at points intermediate their ends, each hook having one end enlarged, the enlarged end of one hook being adapted to engage with the smaller end of the other hook during the coupling of the members so as to operate the hooks to cause the enlarged ends thereof to inter-lock,

' locking pins slidably positioned in the Verti-.

' gage the hooks.

I Copies of this patent may be obtained for In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES H. DAVENPORT.

Witnesses i MILLARD G. TEAs'rER, DAVID T; BRINKLEY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

